Five years ago, Lost debuted as only a television show about a group of people who survived a plane crash by taking refuge on an island. As the final season approaches, we look back over the years and see that it has become a national phenomenon.

Upon coming to Deerfield, I was a bit surprised to find so many die-hard fans of the show, just like me. It probably doesn’t hurt that two alumni star in the show: Matthew Fox ’85 and Nestor Carbonell ’86 play Jack and Richard, respectively.

Across America, many have become fanatics of the show because of its complex plot and witty references.

All aspects of Lost are intertwined, from the characters’ back-stories to how things work on and off the island.

I particularly like the show because of the clever references from characters named after philosophers to quotes from books and Greek mythology, and to Biblical stories.

My favorite reference is the story of Desmond and Penelope, which is eerily similar to The Odyssey.

Lost seems to be written more like a piece of literature than like a television series. Clearly, everything was planned from the beginning, making it such an interesting show. It keeps you thinking, and while some find it frustrating, many others find it intriguing that many mysteries have yet to be solved. For example, what do the numbers 4, 8, 15, 16, 23, and 42 really mean?

The heated Lost discussions and predictions about the show are probably half the experience. I can’t tell you how happy it makes me feel when my predictions from Season One are correct.

Get excited for Season Six, which premieres February 2nd on ABC, and enjoy the final season of Lost.